St Augustine's, Queen's Gate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Augustine's Church |
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| 51°29′36″N 0°10′41″W / 51.4933°N 0.1780°W | |
| Location | Queen's Gate, Brompton, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedicated | 1876 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | William Butterfield |
| Years built | 1865 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Holy Trinity w St Paul, Onslow Sq and St Augustine, Sth Kensington |
| Deanery | Chelsea Deanary |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Middlesex |
| Episcopal area | Kensington Episcopal Area |
| Diocese | Diocese of London |
St Augustine's, Queen's Gate, is a beautiful old church in Queen's Gate, Brompton, London, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is a Grade II* listed building, which means it's very important and protected because of its history and design. The church was built in 1865, and a famous architect named William Butterfield designed it.
History of St Augustine's Church
In 1865, a church leader named Reverend R. R. Chope, who worked at Holy Trinity, Brompton, set up a temporary church made of iron in his garden. He held services there that some people thought were very similar to Roman Catholic services, which was unusual for an Anglican church at that time.
Because the temporary church wasn't big enough, some important members of his church asked the Church Commissioners to create a new church area, or parish, in South Kensington. They offered money to help, but they wanted Mr. Chope to be the first main priest of the new church.
The Bishop of London, A. C. Tait, didn't like this idea because there were already many churches nearby. So, the new church wasn't built right away. It wasn't until 1868, after he became the Archbishop of Canterbury (the most senior leader of the Church of England), that a piece of land was bought and the new parish was formed.
The land chosen for the church was a bit tricky. The road, Queen's Gate, didn't go all the way to Old Brompton Road yet. So, people had to get to the church through a small street called Reece Mews. This is why the church looks like it's at a strange angle compared to Queen's Gate today.
William Butterfield was chosen as the architect. His plan for the church was going to cost a lot of money, about £18,000. Since they didn't have all the money at once, they decided to build the church in two parts. The main part of the church where people sit, called the nave, and the side walkways, called the aisles, were finished first in 1871. The area around the altar, known as the chancel and sanctuary, was completed later in 1876. The church could hold 853 people. A musician named Gerald Hocken Knight was the organist at St Augustine's from 1931 to 1937.
St Augustine's Church Today
In 2010, St Augustine's Church joined with a nearby church called Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB). By March 2011, it became fully part of HTB's parish, and the parish was renamed to include St Augustine's.
Even though HTB is known for its lively, modern style of worship (called charismatic evangelical Anglican), St Augustine's has kept its traditional services. These include a special service called Sung Eucharist, where priests wear special clothes (vestments) and sometimes use incense. St Augustine's follows the Modern Catholic traditions within the Church of England, which means its services are more formal and traditional.
The Revd Paul Cowley, another leader from HTB, became the 'pastor' at St Augustine's. He hadn't led traditional services before, but he learned the main service, called the High Mass. He also made some changes, like replacing some of the old wooden benches (pews) with chairs, though some original pews are still displayed. Church leaders from HTB now wear special white robes (albs) and colorful scarves (stoles) during the weekly 11 am Sung Eucharist service. There's also a Holy Communion service at 9 am. A more relaxed evening service was also started, but it now takes place at St Paul's, Onslow Square.
In November 2018, the Revd Tom Jackson took over from Revd Paul Cowley. Under both these leaders, the number of people attending the church has grown. St Augustine's is a great example of how different church traditions can work together happily and respectfully.
